How to Sell an Old Piano

By Rebecca Cioffi ; Updated September 15, 2017

Things Needed

Wood soap and polish

A piano tuner

Sheet music

Internet for advertising

Whether it's a gorgeous grand or an antique upright, an old piano is a beautiful thing. But selling an old piano can be tough. It's hardly an impulse purchase, and there is much to figure out regarding transporting it to and from. But with some planning and creativity, it can be done.

How To Sell An Old Piano

It's time for cleaning, scratch repair and shining your old piano. Get out a light sandpaper and remove any scratches or rings from drink glasses. Give it a thorough cleaning with a good wood soap (Murphy's Oil Soap is an old favorite). Then get the best gloss you can with the best polish for the finish of your piano.

Get your piano sounding as good as it possibly can sound by hiring a professional piano tuner. Replace broken wire or hammers and make sure all is in good working order. Remember, instruments can mellow and sound their best with age.

Time to advertise. Craigslist is a free and great way to let people find your ad in your local area. Take a good photo of your piano and make up some inexpensive flyers to leave around in music stores, school music departments, piano classes and coffee houses where musicians might hang out.

Buy some great sheet music. People will need to come to your home (or wherever you have the piano) to try it out. They might bring music of their own, but selling can be enhanced with inspiration. So get a hold of some sheet music that will inspire every taste.

Let the potential buyer explore the piano on their own time in their own way. Every key and every note is personal and you want a potential buyer to feel like he or she is making a connection with the instrument.

Now close the sale. Be open to a little haggling and look into opening a Paypal account so that buyers could use a credit card. Make it clear whether your price includes delivery or whether they will be handling the move themselves.